At least eight dead in Russian university shooting
A student opened fire on a university campus in central Russia killing at least eight people, investigators said, in the second mass shooting at an education facility this year.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said several people were also injured in yesterday’s attack at Perm State University.
The gunman was himself killed after the shootings at Perm State University, around 1,300km east of Moscow, Natalia Pechishcheva, a university spokesperson, said.
“He was liquidated,” she said. Footage from the scene showed his prone body on the ground outside.
Investigators previously said that five people were killed and another six wounded.
Videos circulating on social media showed students throwing belongings from windows from buildings on campus before jumping to flee the shooter.
Students built barricades out of chairs to stop the shooter from entering their classrooms, they said.
The gunman was identified as a student at the university, the Investigative Committee, that handles probes into major crimes, said.
“There were about 60 people in the classroom. We closed the door and barricaded it with chairs,” said student Semyon Karyakin.
State media played amateur footage reportedly taken during the attack showing an individual dressed in black tactical clothing, including a helmet, carrying a weapon and walking through the campus.
Local media identified the gunman as an 18-year-old student who had earlier posted a social media photo of himself posing with a rifle, helmet and ammunition.
“I’ve thought about this for a long time, it’s been years and I realised the time had come to do what I dreamt of,” he said on a social media account attributed to him that was later taken down.
He indicated his actions had nothing to do with politics or religion but were motivated by hatred.